Scientific Name: Acer saccharinum
Common Name: silver maple
Family Name: Sapindaceae
Origin: Canada - eastern, U.S. - northeast, U.S. - southwest
Hardiness Zone: Zone 4: (-34 to -29 °C)
Plant Type: Tree - deciduous
Mature Size: 15 - 22m x 10 - 15m (height x width)
Habit: Spreading, Twiggy, Upright
Form: Oval - vertical
Texture: Medium - coarse
Landscape Uses: Fall interest, Shade tree, Specimen plant, Woodland margin
Exposure: Full sun
Soil or Media: Acidic, Humus rich, Well-drained
Leaves: Simple, Lobed, Opposite, Soft flexible, Palmate venation, Glabrous, Pubescent, Obovate, Dentate, Palmately lobed, Serrate
Flowers: Umbel, Green-yellow, Red, Mar
Fruit: Samara, Schizocarp, Brown, May-Jun
Key ID Features:
Leaves opposite, most 10-17cm long x 9-15cm wide, 5 deep acuminate-tipped lobes each with smaller lobes and teeth, lower surface silvery, most petioles 5-9cm long; florets apetalous, in tight clusters, pedicels 3-4mm long, open in March weeks before leaves emerge; schizocarps 3-4cm wide, thick side of wings at 50-70 degree angle, samaras 3-5cm long, May-June. Winter ID: buds opposite, rounded to ovate, red to browm, marginal hairs on scales, flower buds swell and may open by late winter.